


Filibuster

by DontCallMeShirley



Series: Willing Is Not Enough; We Must Do [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 22:00:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15894966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DontCallMeShirley/pseuds/DontCallMeShirley
Summary: The Jedi Council is debating kicking Ahsoka out of the Jedi Order. Obi Wan and Plo Koon prevent them, while Anakin solves the mystery.





	Filibuster

**Author's Note:**

> Just rewatched the Wrong Jedi arc, and it was painful. As usual, I have to make it better. And possibly sillier.
> 
> Obikin if you squint. Sort of like the show. And the movies. And books. Just saying. Ahem.

Anakin Skywalker, Plo Koon, and Obi Wan Kenobi were huddled in a hallway a short distance from the Jedi Council Chambers.  The members had been called in to debate Ahsoka Tano’s future; all evidence pointed to her guilt in bombing the Jedi Temple, killing her accomplice Letta Turmond, and fleeing justice.  Anakin believed she had been railroaded, and was frantic with worry. Especially once he learned Admiral Tarkin wanted Ahsoka to be expelled from the Order so she could stand a military trial.

“Anakin, I have an idea to keep Ahsoka in the Temple,” said Obi Wan, putting a hand on Anakin’s forearm to stop him from pacing.  “You need to follow up any leads you might have to find out who is really behind all this.”

“Really, Master?” asked Anakin, a small hint of relief showing on his face.

“Really,” said Obi Wan firmly, nodding his head.

Plo waved Anakin away.  “Go, young Skywalker, prove Ahsoka’s innocence.  I will help Obi Wan with his scheme, whatever it is.” After Anakin was gone, Plo turned to Obi Wan curiously. “What  _ are _ you planning, Obi Wan?”  

“I have a little something up my sleeve. Thank you for standing with Ahsoka,” he added more seriously.

“Little ‘Sohka is not capable of such acts,” Plo said decisively.  “No matter how much circumstantial evidence there is. Obi Wan nodded, then headed to the fresher.  

“Pardon me for a moment, let them know I’ll be right there,” he said.  But when he came out, Plo was still waiting in the hallway.

“Ready?” asked Plo.  

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Obi Wan responded, and they headed into the chamber.

They nodded in greeting to the other Council Members and took their seats.  Mace Windu began without preamble. 

“This meeting is to discuss the expulsion of Ahsoka Tano to face the charges brought against her in a military tribunal instead of as a Jedi,” he said, looking discouraged.

Saesee Tiin and Ki Adi Mundi were in favor of expelling her.  Obi Wan was heartily opposed. Mace was worried about defying the Senate.  When it looked like a foregone conclusion that Ahsoka was going to be kicked out, Obi Wan stood up.

“I’d like to invoke the right of filibuster,” he said.

Plo let out a bark of laughter.  Mace snorted in disgust. Yoda nodded thoughtfully.

“No one has used a filibuster in over 200 years, Kenobi!” said Mace. 

“Yes, well, I plan on using one today,” he replied with a smile.  

The one who called the filibuster couldn’t eat, sit down, or go to the fresher, and Obi Wan was prepared.  He also had a capacious memory and a deserved reputation for a silver tongue, and he was not going to go down without a fight.

And so he began.  “One of my favorite novels, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is by the famous Chandrillan author Carles Dikkens, and I believe we can all bear to remember the opening passage:

_ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. _

 

*****

 

“When we were on Mon Cala, I had the great fortune of seeing one of their famed SeaNerfs. Did you know that it is the male SeaNerf that cares for its young, not the female? 

“The male SeaNerf is equipped with a pouch on the ventral side of the tail. When mating, the female SeaNerf deposits up to 1,500 eggs in the male's pouch. The male carries the eggs for 9 to 45 days until the SeaNerfs emerge fully developed, but very small….

 

******

“Did you know that t he birth of modern Podracing took place when Gustab Wenbus entered a race with a special pod designed by a mechanic called Phoebo?. Phoebos’ Podracer combined a repulsorlift pod with flaming jet engines, a combination that would propel Podracing into an incredibly fast and dangerous sport….

*******

Mace was hunched over in his seat, elbows on his knees, face in the palms of his hands. Saesee Tinn and Ki Adi Mundi were staring at Obi Wan with active dislike.  Shaak Ti maintained her customary calm, gentle manner. Some of the council members who were connected via holo had ended the connections. Plo was trying hard not to laugh.  They’d already been there five hours. He wondered how much longer Kenobi could keep this up.

********

“Do you remember that song from our youngling days, 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall?  Oh yes, how does that go...

*******

“And speaking of music, one of the best pieces of music ever has to be “An Alderaanian Requiem” by Bail Brahms.  Just consider the lyrics, which he drew from ancient Alderaanian scripture, combined with the haunting melody. It is not too dissimilar from our own Jedi teachings.  I’ll sing some for you now. 

 

_ Denn alles Fleisch ist wie Gras und alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen wie des Grases Blumen.  _

_ Das Gras ist verdorret und die Blume abgefallen. _

 

*******

15 hours later and Obi Wan didn’t appear to be faltering at all. Plo was impressed.  Some of his colleagues were not, and were giving Obi Wan salty looks. Eeth Koth had given up and was lying on the floor, sleeping.  He had just returned from the front lines that morning and was unabashedly exhausted. Tarkin had tried calling several times, but had been told the Council was in session debating a highly sensitive matter and could not be disturbed.

 

*******

“How far have you worked out pi?   3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482534211706798214808651328230664709384460955058223172535940812848111745028410270193852110555964462294895493038196442881097566593344612847564823378678316527120190914…………..

 

*******

At 24 hours Obi Wan was starting to show signs of wear.  His hair was flopped down over his forehead, and even his mustache was starting to droop.  Plo had been slipping him hard candies and sips of water from time to time. He wondered how long Obi Wan could keep this up.  Then he wondered how Anakin was faring.

 

******

As Obi Wan grew more tired, he began telling stories of Anakin’s apprenticeship. 

“Did I tell you about the time he was trying to make toast, and he nearly burned down our quarters?

“Did I tell you about the time he decided to cut his own hair, and he ended up looking like he had mange?

“Did I tell you about the time he cut class to go watch the illegal pod races down on the lower levels? Oh wait, maybe I shouldn’t tell you about that….

 

*********

 

By 36 hours Obi Wan was barely upright. He was being supported by Plo on one side, and Shaak Ti on the other. Agen Kolar was snoring in his chair.  And finally, finally, Anakin came bursting into the room.

“Masters!” he yelled, startling everyone and nearly knocking some over.  They all stared at him blearily, wrapped in a nearly impenetrable stupor. “I found the culprit! Ahsoka is innocent!”

He marched Barriss Offee out in front, and forced her to confess.  That woke everyone up. Obi Wan staggered to his seat, and leaned his head back on the back of his chair.  Thank The Force.

 

*********

 

Obi Wan was sprawled out on top of his bed, fully dressed and out cold.  He hadn’t managed to do anything other than remove the catheter Bant Eerin had given him before he got started on his filibuster. He felt something light touching his back, his hair.  He incorporated these pleasant sensations into his dreams for awhile, until they continued and he realized there was someone in his room with him. 

Anakin, of course.

He opened one eye and looked at Anakin.  Anakin looked at him. “Everything okay?” he asked.  

“Yes, Obi Wan. Thanks to you.” he nudged Obi Wan over and curled up next to him, the two of them falling asleep instantly.

  
  



End file.
